Curriculum Overview

Although we are a special school, we have the same aspirations for students as mainstream schools. We believe that disability is not a barrier to success and aim high for all our pupils.

The heart of the school aims to ensure students’ progress in all areas of their lives. We believe in nurturing the whole child. Although we deliver the National Curriculum, we treat our students as individuals and know that different people have different learning needs.  Students are at the heart of all that we do, shaping a curriculum to enable them to make progress both socially, emotionally and academically.  The curriculum we offer is broad and balanced and offers specific provision for student’s emotional difficulties.

In KS1, pupils are offered a range of activities and learning opportunities throughout the day, based on a continuous provision model. They have access to their own outdoor area throughout the day and can fully utilize the other areas of the school as part of the primary curriculum timetable.

At Key Stage 2 we have a strong ‘learning through play’ culture. Pupils are often undertaking practical learning, motivating students’ engagement. They follow a core curriculum with Literacy and Numeracy taught in the mornings, which is supplemented by a theme based topic each term. Parents will be informed of days for PE and swimming through the termly newsletters.

In KS3 there is a mainly ‘mainstream; style curriculum followed, interspersed with AQA Awards; the Prince’s Trust Achieve Programme and a key social skills package. Every pupil has the opportunity to cook weekly as well as undertake other practical skills lessons.

At Key Stage 4 we offer a range of options, in terms of qualifications and the learning styles that go with them.  Every child will receives quality Careers advice and guidance to help them and their parents/carers make decisions about the best courses for them for the future. Courses can change on a yearly basis, as we aim to personalize our courses to students’ needs and preferences.

The New Horizons ethos means that we demand the highest standards of teaching from our staff, and the highest standards of engagement, cooperation and resilience from our students.  We believe that teachers have a right to teach, students have a right to learn and that we work together to ensure nothing must get in the way of this.  We pride ourselves on the excellent relationships between staff and students.

Staff monitor student progress across the different subject areas.  Parents are routinely invited to discuss their child’s progress and to see their child’s work.  During the course of each academic year all parents receive two reports in which the achievements and the successes of the child are recorded and targets for the future agreed.  Staff seek to involve students actively in their own learning and assessment and to encourage them to recognise their achievements and to be aware of their own potential.

Key Stage 4 Accredited Subjects

• AQA GCSE Food Preparation and nutrition
• GCSE Food
• GCSE Maths
• GCSE English
• GCSE Design Technology – Resistant Materials.
• GCSE Art
• GCSE Photography
• ASDAN CoPE.(Level 2)
• GCSE Science
• Duke of Edinburgh
• NCFE SRE (Level 2)